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Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Dining in Kansas City - So Many Options!

This week, I find myself again in the "Barbecue Capital of America"... Kansas City. Had I been asked seven years ago, when I made my first trip here during university if I would come back, I would have said, 'likely not'. So, you can be certain that I never would've expected to spend several weeks a year in the Missouri-Kansas-border-straddling city. A city of fountains, the "chiefs" and dining out.

I feel that I have come to know Kansas City fairly well over. The hot spots of Westport, the barbecue joints of choice and the (window) shopping down at the plaza. Yet, I am amazed time and time again at the vast number of restaurants this city boasts. Granted, I spend a lot of time in the 'burbs' - the outlying cities of Olathe, Overland Park and Lenexa, but never have I been to a city that takes 'eating out' quite so seriously. Where there is one restaurant there is always two or three more (one for each side of the corner, of course!). Even more baffling is that each parking lot is always full, and the lobby inside, even busier.

I am particularly interested to see if this lifestyle continues to prevail given the current economic "situation". My suspicion? Kansas City is a town fueled by agriculture, one of few industries that is enjoying a steady state of positive profits and forecasts. If I were to wager a guess, I believe I'll still be waiting for a table this week. But, like the rest of the city, I'll happily wait. Nothing goes better with good barbecue than Boulevard Wheat beer, and no where in Kansas City is better to get it than Fiorelli Jack Stacks!